It's only fair that I tell you a bit about me before you tell me a lot about you, so here’s a brief bio to give you a feel for who I am and how I work.

My journey to psychology is a long and windy one. I studied a number of psychology subjects 30 years ago at The University of Technology Sydney while pursuing a Bachelor of Arts and Laws. I fell in love with the depth and breadth of what we know about the mind as well as an appreciation for the ongoing mysteries of human nature we are still coming to understand. Since that time I’ve had a constant fascination with both the hard objective science of the mind as well as the multilayered uniqueness of each person’s experience.

After university I continued private study in psychology - constantly learning about the many varied therapy techniques designed to integrate the psyche and facilitate healing and meaning to our lives. At this time I was a lawyer with a major international law firm and after experiencing the physical and emotional burnout that environment guaranteed I sought my own psychologist and had the great privilege of spending all that personal time understanding myself more intimately and reaping the rewards of an enduring sense of comfort, safety, meaning and wellbeing. I bring this lived experience into my work and endorse this principle as encouraged by the National Mental Health Commission’s Lived Experience Workforce Guidelines.

Moved by the benefits of putting all this study into practice, I decided to change careers, and in 2008 I commenced the Postgraduate Psychology Program at Monash University. I completed my research thesis in 2012 at RMIT University which demonstrated how mindfulness accounts for some of the way your style of relating in close relationships (known as your ‘Attachment Style’) affects difficulties in all parts of your social and professional life. Around this time I also met my mentor, Harvard Psychologist and Associate Clinical Professor Daniel P Brown, who took me on as a personal student in both Indo-Tibetan meditation practice and in evidence-based therapies for emotion regulation and attachment challenges.

After I took some time off to have a beautiful little boy and cherish my years as a new father, I completed my training as a general psychologist working with people who had suffered a psychological injury at work, and also with people suffering from chronic and treatment-resistant Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Major Depressive Disorder who were receiving ketamine therapy under the guidance of a psychiatrist.

I have worked in a range of settings including clinics, with remote communities via telehealth and in psychiatric hospitals. In these roles I have worked across a vast array of human concerns, from everyday worries and challenges all the way to complex mental health disorders. I have found that regardless of the gravity or urgency of the difficulties we face, a strong and compassionate therapeutic relationship is an indispensable gateway to healing and recovery, and so I prioritise building a sense of familiarity and unconditional positive regard for everyone that gives me the privilege to work with them on their innermost sense of self.

While that speaks to the soul of psychology, I’m also informed by the science, and use evidence-based practices which have been shown to make a difference. I adopt an integrative approach where I draw on a range of therapies to suit the particular issues raised in session.

I primarily practice from a Psychodynamic and Attachment-Focussed paradigm and integrate this with my longstanding research investments in Interpersonal Neurobiology and Integral Psychotherapy (in the AQAL-informed framework). I have training in a range of other commonly adopted approaches including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), Mentalisation Therapy, Schema Therapy, Narrative Therapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT). I have completed the Certificate in Psychedelic Assisted Therapies with Mind Medicine Australia to provide trauma-informed care to people undergoing medicine-assisted therapy for advanced psychological complaints.

I have experience with a range of presentations, including depression, anxiety, adjustment issues, acute stress, PTSD, developmental trauma, relationship challenges, personality concerns, dissociative disorders, men’s issues, stress and burnout, workplace injuries, life transitions, parenting adjustment and optimisation and spiritual emergencies. I also have a practice and research focus on parenting relationships from an attachment lens and am trained in Associate Clinical Professor Daniel P Brown’s Three Pillars Model for treating attachment disturbances and the related Ideal Parent Protocol.

I am in the process of negotiating with a range of global academics, clinicians and research institutes to complete a Doctor of Philosophy thesis on Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy which draws on my prior research and primarily aims to establish standardisation of psychotherapeutic interventions for Ketamine Assisted Therapy to provide a hereto absent evidence base for evaluating the psychotherapeutic contribution of this emerging treatment paradigm.

I work with a client-focussed and trauma-informed focus that seeks to affirm your inherent strengths and values and considers you as the authority on your own life. I’m committed to psychological safety and work to maintain an inclusive environment for all identities and cultures. I have worked across diverse groups including extensive experience with men, First Nations people, members of the LGBTQI+ community and those who consider themselves as  living with a physical or neurological disability. I seek to affirm and validate the unique experiences that every person brings to their therapy and try to build a container of respect and dignity which is a dependable crucible for healing.

So that’s a lot about me and how I work, but there’s of course a whole other me that lives when I’m not working. I’m a father to a bright and cheerful boy who keeps me honest and is the best teacher I’ve ever had (Who knew parenting could count as professional development?!). I’m also a musician who plays and records with guitar and drums. I’m a dedicated meditator with almost 15 years of regular practice under my belt and the sense of mental and emotional brightness that comes with that commitment. I also run a group that focusses on the integral philosophy of US polymath Ken Wilber. Oh, and how could I forget my passion for craft beer and the many thousands of dollars spent collecting rare brews from around the world to cellar at home and share with other brewing nerds I’ve connected with over the years.

I know choosing someone to work with can be a daunting task so I hope that if you’ve found this account welcoming we’ll have the chance to get to know eachother and work on enhancing your life in all the many ways you’re hoping for.

Qualifications

BPsych (Hons) (Monash), BPsych (Hons) (RMIT)
Diploma of Professional Practice Psychology (COPP)
Certificate of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies (MMA)
BA Communications (Hons) (UTS)
LLB (Hons) (UTS)
Grad Dip (Laws) (Sydney)
Grad Dip Legal Practice (UTS)
Grad Dip Alternative Dispute Resolution (College of Law)
AHPRA: PSY0002595780.
MARSC: 12948.
Comcare/WRP.